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Report highlights hardship of people with special needs

24 January 2013

More security, more and better prosthetics and more comprehensive registration were among the needs identified in the scoping visit to Mayukwayukwa refugee camp in Zambia.

The visit included an assessment of the needs of those hwo had acquired a disability as a result of an emergency, as well as those who had a pre-exisitng condition.

The Anglican Alliance is launching a fund-raising appeal for the next stages of this work which will include further research, advocacy, and production of guidelines to support churches and church agencies which support people with disabilities affected by emergencies.

Among the needs highlighted were:

* The need for more security and protection for disabled women who were particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence. The report highlights the hardship of a young woman with profound special needs who has a young baby.

* The urgent need for adequate prothesees for people who had lost limbs as a result of landmine and firearm injuries.

* A pressing need for more comprehensive reporting of special needs.

For research for the report, Relief and Programmes Manager Tania Nino visited Mayukwayukwa refugee settlement to identify the specific needs of people living with disabilities and their carers. She took part in two focus group discussions with Angolan refugees, and was lobbied by a group of men who had lost limbs as a result of the conflict in their home country.

The visit, and the scale of the disabilties identified highlighted the problem of under-registration by refugees of disabilities, especially those resulting from gender-based violence.

The next steps for the Anglican Alliance are to:

* Further research the needs of people with disabilities, espeically those affected by natural disasters.The existing report was based only on research among people affected by conflict-related emergencies.

* Develop guidance for churches and church agencies that provide relief work so they can better meet the needs of people with disabilities.

* Undertake advocacy to win higher priority for the special needs of people with disabilities with the Anglican Communion and the international humanitarian community.